Walls
by Tannum
Summary: Cal is kidnapped


"Nik, can't we please call it a night? I'm dying here…"

Niko smiled to himself and upped the pace of their run just a little. It had only been six miles, after all. He heard Cal swear and speed up to match him.

"Really, Nik, I'm going to drop from starvation any minute now! It's inhumane to make a man run with the smell of chili cheese dogs in the air!"

Niko decided to let Cal have his way this once. His brother **did** love his mystery meat, and the nearby street fair would be a nice diversion for the evening.

"Okay, little brother, one chili cheese dog and ten miles in the morning - no complaining."

Cal sighed, but didn't attempt to argue. He must really be hungry. The brothers slowed to a walk and headed across the grass to the booths of the little fair.

"I'm off in search of the holy chili cheese dog with triple onions."

Niko saw Cal stumble just as he felt something bite into the back of his neck. He reached for Cal as he saw his brother fall, but his own eyesight was fading as he felt his legs give way beneath him.

Niko woke up with a pounding headache. From the light, it was early morning. He lay on the grass, trying to piece together his foggy memories - then it all came together.

"Cal! Cal! Where are you? Answer me, damn it!" but there was no response. Niko searched the area, growing more desperate by the moment. He found his cell phone lying broken nearby. So much for using his GPS to track the locater lodged in the scar tissue in Cal's chest. Niko stopped a passing jogger and firmly requested the use of his phone. Niko dialed Robin's number and waited impatiently for him to pick up.

"Hello. How did you get this number?" Niko hadn't thought about the number not being familiar. All he felt was lost. He couldn't think.

"They took Cal!"

"Who? Who took Cal?

"I don't know!" Niko felt his world closing down to that single thought, the single purpose to find Cal. Nothing else existed. This was his promise and his purpose - keep Cal safe.

"Niko, where are you? I'm on my way, but I need to know where I'm going," Niko had not even realized Robin had been talking..

"Central Park. We were jogging last evening."

"I'm on my way, just hold on."

Cal woke up slowly. His head hurt and he couldn't seem to move. Where was he? Where was Nik?! His chest throbbed with a burning pain.

"We know you are awake. Open your eyes," the voice was unfamiliar. Cal forced his eyes open to see a small, dark haired man standing in front of him flanked by two more men.

"Where - where is Niko?" Cal's voice came out much more hoarse than he liked, but he needed to know where his brother was,

The man continued as though Cal had not spoken, "Tell us of your time in Tumulus."

Cal felt a chill of panic as he looked at the man, for once at a total loss for a smart-ass reply. Thankfully, he didn't remember his time in Auphe hell - and he had no intention of trying to change that in any way.

The man made a sharp gesture and the two men stepped forward. Cal felt a pressure building in his head, growing until it felt as if his head was going to explode. He felt a sharp pain and then a voice was in his head, "Remember. Remember Tumulus."

Cal struggled to resist. To block the voice. To fight the pain and panic, but the voice was remorseless and insistent. "Listen to my voice. Tell me of your time in Tumulus."

Cal felt his mental barriers coming down against his will. Memories started to rise from the depths of his subconscious - memories of blood and pain, memories of desperation and hopelessness, Cal began to scream as the memories began to overwhelm him. He could feel his sanity begin to unravel as he screamed and screamed.

It had been three days. Three days of sleepless nights. Three days of chasing down every ghost of a lead. Three days of shaking down every slim chance of an informant. Robin's GPS had been useless. They had followed it to the tracking device, alright - in a dumpster near the Ninth Circle of all places, still covered in Cal's blood.

Robin was worried about Niko almost as much as he was about Cal. Niko was like a robot, only eating whatever Robin put in his hands, focused totally on finding Cal. Nothing else was registering. When Niko finally spoke, it took Robin by surprise.

"I have known my reason for existing since I was four years old - since I first looked into Cal's eyes. Protect my brother. Make sure he survives to fulfill his purpose. Guide and protect him while he fulfills his duty. I am tired of failing him. I have trained all my life to be good enough to fulfill my purpose, and yet I keep failing him."

"You haven't failed him, Niko. You kept him alive to grow into a man, when there was no way that it should have been possible. You raised a good man in a bad situation. You gave him the tools to survive all the crap life throws at him. He will survive this. We will find him."

Niko's phone rang. It was Promise. She had been working her contacts just as tirelessly as they had been working theirs. Niko listened wordlessly. Once he had broken the connection, he turned to Robin, his expression grim.

"Promise says she has heard rumors that the Vigil has branched out into research. Supposedly into ways to be more proactive in their interactions with the supernatural world. It seems Cal is not the only one to vanish in the past few weeks, Two of the individuals have been found - a dead werewolf and a kitsune who seems to be suffering from brain damage," Niko picked up Robin's phone and dialed Samuel's number.

"Where is the Vigil's research facility? They have Cal. One way or another, I will get my brother back. Very well. Thank you for your help," Niko turned to Robin as he hung up the phone, "Samuel tells me that the Vigil has three facilities, He is not aware of them holding Cal, but says that, if they are, he will be in one of those places." Niko was heading out the door as he spoke. Robin grabbed his coat and hurried to keep up.

"Samuel is certain Cal is not being held in his facility, so we will start with the other two," Niko was dialing Promise's number as he spoke. Now that he had a direction, he seemed more like the Niko Robin knew. Niko told Promise where to meet them and hung up, "Promise will meet us at the most likely location."

Robin got the address of the first location and started the car. "So, what is the plan?"

"Samuel will meet us there and take me in as a possible recruit. You and Promise will wait outside until we determine if Cal could be there. Then we get my brother."

They drove to an unassuming warehouse in a nearby industrial area. Samuel and Promise were waiting a few blocks down. Robin parked his car in a nearby alley. Niko had his door open before Robin got the car stopped good and was heading towards Samuel.

Samuel stepped forward to meet him, speaking as he did, "I called here before I came and told them that I was bringing a possible new recruit who as eager to join the cause. They let me know that there would be some areas that I would not be able to take you into - which does raise some questions."

Niko turned to Robin and Promise, "The two of you wait with the car while Samuel and I determine where the restricted areas are, then I will return for you."

Niko entered the facility close on Samuel's heels. There was a security guard seated before a bank of monitors. Most of the rooms and hallways shown were empty at that time of night. Samuel greeted the guard as they approached the desk, "Scott, this is Matthew. He's okayed for a quick tour - possible new recruit."

The guard shook hands with Niko and gave them both a quick grin, "It's pretty quiet right now. Most of the subjects have been moved to the holding facility. About the only one left is Dr. Thompson's research subject, and that one is in quarantine.."

Samuel looked interested, "Quarantine? Is the subject ill?"

The guard shook his head, "One of our best telepaths had a nervous breakdown just from contacting the creature's mind, and the other telepath on the case refuses to even try to go in. Says he is still having nightmares from the things he saw. One of the guards made the mistake of touching it and ended up beaten to a bloody pulp before they could tear it off him. They're being real careful now."

Niko could not stop himself from asking the question that had haunted him for days, "Why is he here? What has he done?"

The guard shook his head, "Him? Nothing. Rumor has it that his race can translocate and even travel to other dimensions. If it's true, Dr. Thompson can harness the subject's abilities. Think of the benefits to humanity."

Samuel thanked Scott and gave Niko a quick tour, showing him the locations of the quarantine area and exits. Niko returned to his friends looking grim. To his surprise, Ishiah was standing with Robin, "I thought we could use a little more help with the extraction," Robin explained. Niko nodded and went on as if nothing had changed.

"There are two guards to be dealt with. The area we want is behind a locked door in the center of the building. Good thing I brought some of Cal's explosive rounds and his Desert Eagle. It should take care of the lock easily."

The four of them swept in, overpowering the guards and tying them and Samuel up. The explosive rounds did prove effective on the door, and they at last came to the like of doors that served the quarantine area. When Niko finally opened the door to Cal's cell, it was to find his little brother huddled in a corner, staring at nothing, rocking himself - not even flinching when his head hit the wall. Niko and Robin both started across the room to Cal, but Niko stopped them an arms length from Cal. Niko squatted down so that he was on Cal's eye level and waited for Cal to see him, but there was no sign of recognition.

"I'm here, little brother. It's okay. I'm here to take you home," Niko waited patiently for Cal to react to him. Robin kept looking anxiously at the door, clearly expecting trouble at any moment. Promise and Ishiah silently stood by, watching the hall, guarding their exit. "We have time. Cal, come back to me, little brother. We need to go. We need to go home where you'll be safe. I'm right here, waiting to take you home."

Gradually Cal stopped rocking and seemed to be listening, "N-Nik?" Cal's voice was the barest whisper.

Niko reached forward and laid his hand gently on the back of his brother's neck, "Yes, Cal, we're here. We're going home now."

"Home," Cal tried to stand, but could not get his legs under him because he was shaking so hard. Niko moved to help him, but Cal flinched from his touch.

"Cal, we have to go now. It's not secure here. Let me help you."

Cal slowly raised his hand to his brother. Niko grasped it, helping him to stand. They made it back to Robin's car without resistance from the Vigil, but every step was a fight for Cal. Every instinct was telling him to run, to find a place to hide or make a stand. Every touch sent fire screaming through his nerves. All he could see were pictures of his past, memories of his time in hell, playing endlessly, overwhelming everything else. Once Cal was in the car, he curled into a tight ball in the corner, as far from Niko as he could get. He could not think. He heard sounds, but he could not make any sense of them.

Niko looked at his little brother shaking like a leaf and trying desperately to push his way through the back seat. His heart broke. Cal had fought his way back to sanity after Tumulus through sheer determination, ruthlessly locking the memories of those years behind strong walls to allow him to function, and still the psychological wounds were there, coloring every aspect of Cal's life. Would he be able to rebuild those walls? Would he come out of this anywhere close to the Cal he had become? Niko shook himself out of his thoughts. Time to focus. Time to be there for his brother, to do whatever Cal needed to win this fight.

Niko spoke quietly to Cal, "It's okay, little brother. We are almost home. We are going to get through this." Cal didn't give any outward sign that he heard, but Nike had to believe that , on some level, he did hear, and that Cal believed Niko's words.

In the front seat, Robin spoke quietly to Ishiah, although, truthfully, he could have screamed and Niko would not have heard him - he was just so focused on Cal, "Can you help him? Can you help him find his way back to us?"

Ishiah looked troubled, "I don't know. He is so broken, and it would have to be allowed willingly…"

When they arrived at Niko's apartment, Robin and Ishiah waited quietly as Niko slowly coaxed Cal out of the car, speaking softly and calmly until he got Cal out and into the apartment to the quiet of Niko's bedroom.

Cal finally looked at Niko and seemed to see him, "Nik, I don't know if I can do this," Cal's voice came out as a hoarse whisper, his throat raw from screaming.

Niko crouched down so that he could look Cal in the eye as Cal sat on the bed., "I know you can do this. You are the strongest person I know. We will get through this, I promise you."

Cal looked at him with lost, haunted eyes, and Niko could feel him pulling away again, "I'm so tired, Nik. I just want this to go away, but I just can't get the memories to stop. I can't shut it down…"

Niko looked to the door when he heard a sound in the hall. Robin stood in the doorway. He looked so sad and hesitant, like he was almost afraid to speak, something Niko had not thought possible for his friend, "Niko, can Ishiah and I speak to you two for a moment?"

Niko had not noticed Ishiah standing behind Robin until that moment. He motioned them into the room. When they entered, Cal curled into himself, trying to make himself as small as possible. Niko unconsciously moved so that he was between his friends and his brother, even though he knew neither Robin nor Ishiah would ever hurt Cal.

Robin looked at Cal a moment longer and seemed to come to a decision. He spoke gently to Cal, "Cal, I know that they hurt you and took your defenses. I know, given time, you can rebuild your mental walls and deal with what you have to deal with, but, with the life that you and Niko lead, I don't think you will be given the time that you need."

Niko interrupted impatiently, "If Cal needs time to get well again, that is what he will have. We can leave New York, go somewhere isolated and quiet, whatever he needs."

Ishiah stepped up next to Robin, "I may be able to offer an alternative option. As a Peri, I still possess the telepathy of an Angel." Cal looked to Ishiah with a mixture of hope and fear in his gray eyes, but waited for Ishiah to continue. "If you are willing to let me, I can enter your mind and help you rebuild your walls. Help you pit those memories in the past where they belong. It will not be easy, and it will be you doing all of the work. I will simply be supporting you and showing you how to do what you need to do/"

Cal had started rocking again, clawing at his arms as though the pain could focus him. Niko gently laid his hand on Cal's arm. Cal jerked and managed to focus on his brother with difficulty.

"Cal, what do you think? Are you willing to let Ishiah help you?" Niko did not have time or energy to waste on dwelling on Ishiah's revelation of Peri telepathy or the implications that went with it. Right now, he would grab any possible help for Cal with both hands. Cal was managing by sheer force of will to hold onto a sliver of sanity, but Niko could see that he was tiring and starting to slip away.

With a shudder, Cal took a deep breath and looked at Ishiah, "I don't know how much longer I can hold on."

When Cal didn't continue, Niko asked quietly, "Then we need Ishiah's help?" Cal nodded mutely.

Ishiah pulled a chair up to the bedside so that he was on the same level as Cal. Niko remained on the bed next to Cal, his hand on Cal's leg, knowing that he needed the contact as much as his brother did. Ishiah spoke quietly, "Cal, I need you to listen carefully to me, Just listen and let me in. Together we will rebuild your defenses."

Ishiah found himself on a barren landscape with red glass ground, sullen yellow sky, biting cold wind, and the coppery smell of blood in the air. Cal stood before him - a battered, bloody Cal, dressed in tattered rags. The sound of screams could be heard in the distance. Ishiah stepped forward, "Are you ready to leave this place?"

Cal looked at Ishiah, his eyes as desolate as the landscape around him. When he spoke, his voice was a ragged whisper, "Hear those screams? I did that. Those are the people I killed here. What haunts me is not the torture I endured, but the people I killed." As Cal spoke, the screams increased. Cal shivered in the cold.

Ishiah spoke quietly, "Cal, you were a child, a prisoner of the Auphe. Was it in your power to free the other prisoners?" Cal dropped his eyes and, after a moment, shook his head mutely. "Could you have stopped the deaths completely?" Cal's breath caught in a sob and, again, he shook his head. "What did you do for them?"

Cal finally spoke, "I killed them as quickly as I could. Broke their necks when I could, otherwise… Otherwise the Auphe would 'play' with them. Kill them slowly, For fun."

Ishiah stepped closer, "So you did the only thing in your power. You granted them an easier death than they would have had if you had not been there." Cal finally nodded. "What happened to you when you gave the mercy that you could give?"

"I was punished for not killing like an Auphe. Beaten until I passed out."

"And still, you did what you could for those people." Cal breathed a little better. He looked a little less battered. "Cal, What happened here was done **to** you, not **by** you. You fought back when and how you could. You got away from the Auphe. Made a life for yourself. You left this place once. You can leave it again… Picture a wall around this place. A wall of steel with a door that only you can open, Only you have the key. A wall made of your will." Cal took a deep breath and started the task of putting the past and the guilt in the past where it belonged.

From Robin's and Niko's perspective, Ishiah was perfectly still, a calm statue. Cal's eyes were closed and a film of sweat covered his face. Niko could feel a tremor pass through his little brother. After what seemed an eternity of waiting, Niko felt Cal's muscles relax and his breathing even out as he seemed to drift into a deep sleep. Ishiah took a deep breath and blinked up at Robin, "He will sleep now. His mind and body both need time to heal." Robin helped Ishiah to his feet. "We will be a phone call away it you need us, but I think quiet and sleep will be the best things for him."

Niko looked at his sleeping brother, then back to his friends, "Thank you both," Once they had left, Niko settled in to watch over Cal and wait for him to wake up. As the hours passed, Niko found the lack of sleep from the past several days catching up with him, and he drifted off next to his brother, finding comfort in the sound of Cal's even breathing.

Cal woke up slowly. Late morning light was coming in through the bedroom window. He looked beside him to find Niko sleeping and realized that he was in his brother's bed. Niko opened his eyes and gave Cal a small smile. "Nik, why am I in your bed?"

Rather than answering, Niko asked him a question, "How do you feel?"

Cal considered. "Tired. A little confused. Okay, a lot confused. What happened?"

Niko handed him a glass of water, "What do you remember?"

Cal was really getting tired of having his questions answered with other questions, but he knew that he would not get anywhere arguing, and , truly, he was too tired to argue anyway. "We were running in the park. There was a street fair. I was going to get a chili cheese dog, then something hit me, Then nothing, until now. As hungry as I am, I don't think I got that dog. Now, seriously, Nik, what happened?"

"For now, the Vigil ambushed us, drugged us with tranquilizer guns, and took you prisoner. We got you back, and now you need to rest."

"Nik, that's really not telling me anything."

"You said that you were hungry. Do you feel up to going out?"

Cal thought about it and realized that he really did not want to leave the house, "Not really, but I am hungry."

Niko put his hand on the back of Cal's neck, "It's okay, little brother. Why don't you go get a shower and I will have pancakes made by the time you get out."

Cal grinned, "Can I have bacon?"

Niko nodded, "And, when you feel up to it, I am going to get you as many chili cheese dogs as you want."

"Really? With triple onions?"

Niko smiled, "With triple onions."


End file.
